Chapter 688: No Panic
In fact, at the beginning they felt embarrassed to learn another skill if they learned something else.
Although they wish they could master more skills.
But when the princess came to teach them, she told them that wanting to learn is a good thing, and wanting to learn more is also a good thing.
As long as you have the ability and energy, you can learn. Don't be afraid or worry.
They are encouraged to learn more, and some skill courses are not scheduled at the same time so that they can attend classes.
Many classes are held in large classrooms.
The large classroom can seat many people. If they go to audit the class, they can sit in the stepped seats at the back of the classroom without affecting the students who are originally learning that skill.
Everyone is like this, respecting and helping each other. If you don't know something, just ask, and those who know and understand will teach you.
They like this kind of learning atmosphere very much.
You won’t be bullied in the academy.
No one looks down on anyone, everyone wears uniform clothes, and everyone cherishes the opportunity to study.
Although I miss home in the academy, I am also very happy.
I am especially happy when I go to the library to read books.
Yes, every time she reads a book, she feels fulfilled.
And before going to bed at night, I go back to the dormitory and talk with my roommates, which makes me feel really good.
Unlike when we were in the village, people of the same age were busy helping with housework and had no time to sit down and talk together.
But here, classmates can talk a lot with each other.
They are all girls, and they can share their inner thoughts with each other.
As she said this, Ma Shuangshuang had a smile on her face.
The woman couldn't believe it and said, "But... can it be learned?"
"Of course you can learn, Mom, just trust me!"
"When I learn how to cook, I can make delicious food for my family. I'll teach you then."
"There's also embroidery. You can use your spare time to do it. We're learning the basics now, and later we'll learn how to make flower hairpins and other things. I'll teach you then."
"Mom, don't worry. The princess said that once we learn it, we can teach our own mother. Then you won't have to work in the fields. It will be good to just do these things on weekdays."
The woman said, "Even if there is work to do, we still have to farm. We farmers have land, and we feel at ease."
"We can eat the food we grow in our own fields, so we don't have to buy it. If we go out to buy food, no one knows whether it will be cheap or expensive at that time."
"It depends on the harvest year. Sometimes merchants sell grain for hundreds of coins per pound, which is scary."
When talking about this, the women still feel scared.
When I was young, there was a famine and food was very expensive. Before that, there was a flood and food was very expensive again.
Fortunately, the emperor was a good emperor and he lowered the prices.
But at that time, local officials didn't care about the lives of the common people.
So they felt that as long as they had land in their hands, they could grow more food and not worry.
"Besides, our family has reclaimed another acre of land. We went to the county government office to get the land deed. Now the land is ours. If the potatoes and sweet potatoes we planted this year are really that productive, we'll plant more next year..."
When talking about the food in the fields, the woman's face was full of smiles.
For them, having more land and growing more crops means they feel safe.
Ma Shuangshuang understands this sense of security.
When they were in class, the teachers also talked about the importance of paying attention to agriculture and sericulture.
I will also teach them some knowledge about farming and water conservancy.
Let them learn more about these while learning skills.
For her parents, land is the most important. She remembers that when she was a child, her parents always wanted to save money to buy another acre of land.
But buying land is not that easy. It costs at least two taels of silver per mu.
That was still the most ordinary field.
Even if he couldn't do it, her father wanted to work on the fields and crops more.
At that time, the family relied on the harvest from the fields to survive.
Ma Shuangshuang knew best how hard it was back then.
At that time, there was no cow at home, so her father was the one who pulled the plow to plow the fields. His shoulders were worn out from the hard work, and he would be very tired when he got home.
Thinking of that time, Ma Shuangshuang's nose felt sore.
"Mom, I will study hard too. If I win the exam prize, I will give it to you and Dad. We can save up enough to buy a cow!"
For the people in their village, cows are very valuable things. Whoever has a cow will be looked up to by others.
"Don't feel stressed or work so hard. Our family is doing well now, and I feel much more relaxed."
"You have to study hard for your future. With skills, you won't starve even in a famine."
The woman wanted her daughter to study, not because she wanted her daughter to repay her or anything, but because she wanted her daughter to have a good life in the future.
That's her mentality.
Ma Shuangshuang actually understood it all in her heart.
"Mom, I know. I will study hard. Don't worry about that!"
The woman said, "Your academy is really great. You've also caught up with the right time. The princess came to our Hezhou and built a women's academy."
“You can come to study.”
Ma Shuangshuang nodded vigorously and said, "Yes, there's no other place like that. I heard that in the entire Great Yan Dynasty, only here is there a women's academy. I heard that many people have thought it through and want to arrange for their family members to study in our academy."
"Then when those girls from noble families come, will they look down on you?"
"Mom, don't worry. The academy doesn't allow students to do that. Besides, if they really have bad morals, the princess won't let them come to the academy."
"That's how it is at Wende Academy. If someone has problems, no matter how well-off their family is, Master Su won't allow them to be admitted."
The woman listened and felt relieved.
Seeing her daughter become more confident and speak more confidently, some of the words sounded quite different. Although she didn't understand much, she understood what her daughter meant.
The two stayed in the academy for a while, and when they saw that it was almost time, they left.
There were almost no people at the door at this time, and only a few girls were waiting for the carriage to go home.
If they knew each other, they would greet each other and treat women with respect, calling them aunt.
The women were flattered.
When the carriage from their Majia Village arrived, Ma Shuangshuang and her daughter got on the carriage.
This was the starting point, so there was no one on the carriage except the two of them, and there were still many empty seats.
When we reached the second stop at the pier, more people came on board.
Most of them carried baskets in their hands, and some even carried shoulder poles and baskets. However, if the things were a bit big, they would hang them outside the carriage.
As soon as everyone got on the carriage, they noticed the clothes Ma Shuangshuang was wearing and said, "She's a student from the Women's Academy."
"It looks really different, really energetic."
“It’s pretty good.”
"Sister, is this your daughter?"
The woman, Lin Cuihua, smiled and said, "Yes, she is my daughter."
"That's great! Look at your daughter, she's so pretty and noble, she looks like a girl from a wealthy family."
Lin Cuihua was proud, but she wasn't very good at expressing herself, so she could only nod and say, "Actually, it's the academy that's good. The academy teaches well."
"That's right. Not just anyone can enter the academy. Those who can enter the academy are all good girls, all girls from good families."
"Yes, when the princess selects people to join the academy, she won't just let anyone in. I heard that they also look at whether the parents are harmonious, whether they are filial to the elders, and the girl's moral character. Only after passing all these tests can she enter the academy."
The woman looked at Ma Shuangshuang carefully and sighed in her heart.
Her son is already married and has children, and her youngest son is still young. If they were of similar age, she would have thought about arranging a marriage.
You can tell at first glance that she is a good girl.
However, she also knew that girls who graduated from the girls' academy would have to work for the princess in the future, and ordinary people would not be able to marry into her family.
Everyone understood this principle, so they were very enthusiastic towards Lin Cuihua.
When a woman behind got on the bus, she immediately saw Lin Cuihua.
She sat down next to him and asked quietly, "Cuihua, is that you?"
Lin Cuihua looked at the woman and felt vaguely familiar. She looked at her carefully and said, "Pingping, it's you!"
"Oh, you finally recognized me. I didn't even dare to recognize you just now. How many years have we not seen each other?"
"That's right. We haven't seen each other since we got married. It's been many years."
The woman's name is Fan Pingping, and she is from Fanjia Village.
The two grew up in the same village and had a very good relationship.
However, when they grew up, they both got married in villages far away from each other, and they lost contact afterwards.
Even if I go back to my parents' home, the time is different. Besides, we are all busy, so how can we have time to see each other?
Occasionally, when they are busy, they may think of their youth, feel nostalgic, and then continue to busy themselves with their daily lives.
I never thought we would meet here this time.
Perhaps if it weren't for the bus set up by Lord Su, they might not have been able to see it.
Both of them became excited and started talking to each other.
"I didn't expect that more than ten years have passed. I remember you married in Donghe Village. The two villages are quite far apart."
Fan Pingping said, "It's really far. Donghe Village was also far away from my mother's home before. I could only go home once a year."
"At first I missed home quite a lot, but later my son and daughter grew up and I didn't miss home as much anymore."
"I heard from my mother that she gave birth to twins, and you are usually busy taking care of the children."
"They were naughty when they were young, but now they are eight years old and they know how to help me with the work."
"Now it's good. With horse-drawn carriages and buses, it's convenient for me to go back to my parents' home and come here. I've dug some mountain products from the mountains and sell them at the dock. Business is pretty good."
Fan Pingping said this with a smile on her face.
Now, as long as you are diligent, even if you go to the mountains to chop firewood and sell it at the dock, business will be good.
Fan Pingping couldn't believe the hundred or so cents she had just earned.
During the slack season, she would go to the mountains to dig some mountain products and set up a small stall here, and usually go back on the same day.
"This is your daughter Shuangshuang, right? I heard from my mother that she has gone to a girls' academy. In Fanjia Village, our hometown, you are also famous. Everyone says that your daughter has a promising future."
Lin Cuihua was stunned. He was famous in her family?
"They all know?"
Fan Pingping nodded and said, "Of course I know that. Many people envy you and say your daughter is great."
"But now everyone has realized that sending their daughters to school is a good thing. However, it won't be so easy to get into a girls' academy in the future. I heard that many noble families are vying for a spot in the next class. They have all grabbed a spot."
Fan Pingping looked at Lin Cuihua's clothes and felt emotional. It seemed that this childhood playmate was doing well now.
"I also heard from my parents that there's a cement workshop near your Majia Village. I heard that your husband works there. It would be really great to be able to work in the princess's workshop."
There was also envy in Fan Pingping's words.
It’s a pity that there is no such workshop in their village.
Her clothes were still patched.
When she was a child, her family was actually better off than Lin Cuihua's.
However, I heard that the lime was discovered by Lin Cuihua with the help of the princess, and that's why the princess built a cement workshop there.
She couldn't envy this.
Of course she wasn't jealous, she was just expressing her feelings.
Moreover, being able to see her childhood playmates here can remind her of her childhood.
Lin Cuihua said seriously, "Well, I only had one or two meals a day before, but now I can have a full meal every day, all thanks to the princess."
"Yes, thanks to Lord Su and the princess for coming to us."
As the two talked about these things, they also talked about their childhood along the way, and Lin Cuihua had a bright smile on her face.
"When I was little, all I wanted every day was to have enough food to eat and to find time to go out and play."
Lin Cuihua nodded and said, "Yes, what we loved most at that time was going to the river to wash clothes when the weather was warm."
"Yes, because when we wash clothes, we sit on the stone bench by the river. We can talk while washing clothes and play with water."
Lin Cuihua and Fan Pingping are both girls, so they can't run around the village to play like boys on weekdays.
Although there are not so many rules in the village, girls still stay at home if possible.
So they like to go to the river to wash clothes, make an appointment to go wash clothes, and sit by the river while washing clothes and chatting about family matters.
Of course, while washing clothes, other women in the village would also chat and it was interesting to listen to them.
Most of the time, I just help feed the pigs, cook, and clean the house.
During the busy farming season, they would go to the fields to help work if they could.
When Fan Pingping thought of that time and looked at Ma Shuangshuang again, she couldn't help but feel envious.
When she was a child, her parents spoiled her. Her family was well-off and had a lot of land. If there were girls' academies at that time, her parents would definitely send her to study there.
If she could study, perhaps she wouldn't have to be so busy with farm work every day.
However, Fan Pingping plans to send her daughter to a girls' college.
Give it a try anyway.
I didn’t understand or think it through before, and I was afraid that people would gossip about me.
But now I find that girls who go to girls' colleges have a good reputation.
No one would think it's rebellious or anything.
Nor will they say that a woman’s virtue lies in her lack of talent.
Perhaps it was because it was an academy opened by the princess, and the girls who graduated went to work in the princess's workshop or shop.
Everyone knows how good it is to work under the princess. Not only do you get high wages and bonuses, but you also get more rest time.
While the two were talking, the carriages arrived at one village after another and people got off the carriages one after another.
When they arrived at Majia Village, Lin Cuihua and her daughter Ma Shuangshuang got off the carriage.
Lin Cuihua also warmly invited Fan Pingping to visit her home.
Fan Pingping shook her head and said, "It's getting late, so I won't go. I'll go next time. The children will be worried if they don't see me back."
Lin Cuihua nodded.
Fan Pingping sat in the carriage, watching it move, and she looked outside at Majia Village.
She still remembers that Majia Village was very remote and the houses were dilapidated.
Now it seems that they have been repaired and the roads here are very wide.
This is probably because there is a cement workshop nearby.
It would be great if their village could have a workshop.
But their village is still too remote.
But their village also has its advantages. It is backed by a mountain and there are many mountain products. As long as she goes to the mountain to dig some, she can sell them for some money.
Thinking of this, a smile appeared on Fan Pingping's face.
When Ma Shuangshuang and Lin Cuihua got off the carriage, it was already evening. When people in the village saw them, they greeted them warmly.
"Oh, Shuangshuang is back."
"Cui Niang, you even went to pick it up in person."
"Yes, it's a good opportunity to go to their academy and take a look."
"Yes, yes, let's go and take a look. I heard it's all very good."
The villagers took the initiative to greet Ma Shuangshuang and looked at her with enthusiasm.
The villagers are honest and know how to repay kindness. They know that the current better conditions in the village are all thanks to Ma Shuangshuang.
Because of her, the princess opened a cement workshop nearby.
When Ma Shuangshuang returned home, her brother looked at her and happily ran to hug her, "Sister, sister, you are back!"
Seeing her brother being so well-behaved and cute, Ma Shuangshuang was very happy and picked him up.
"Here you go!"
This was the candy given to her by her roommate. She couldn't bear to eat it, so she brought it back to give to her younger brother.
The little boy smiled happily, "Thank you, sister."
"Thank you. Are you tired from going to school? Is it hard?"
Ma Shuangshuang said seriously, "Going to school is not hard, it's fun, so you have to grow up quickly and study hard when you have the chance."
"Uh-huh."
In Ma Shuangshuang's opinion, reading is really useful.
Even if you don't learn any skills, reading books can help you understand a lot of things and broaden your mind.
She also learned Arabic numerals and some multiplication formulas, and now she can do arithmetic very quickly.
I can calculate it quickly in my mind.
The moment she returned home, Ma Shuangshuang felt very relaxed.
This is the feeling of home.
Ma Shuangshuang's grandmother came out of the house and saw Ma Shuangshuang with a loving face. She asked her what she wanted to eat and prepared something delicious in the evening.
He looked as if he was afraid that his granddaughter would be hungry in the academy.
Ma Shuangshuang smiled and said, "Grandma, I eat well in the academy, so I won't be hungry. But you decide what to eat in the evening."
"You're back, we need to celebrate. It's still early, let's make dumplings."
"Your aunt-in-law planted some chives and sent some to us. She said chive and egg dumplings are delicious. Let's make some and try them."
Ma Shuangshuang was surprised and asked, "Grandma, we still have leeks here?"
"Your aunt brought some seeds from her maternal relatives. She planted some and said she didn't expect them to taste so good."
“And a lot of leeks can grow at once!”
"Your aunt said that when she gets some chive seeds this time, she'll give us some so we can plant them next spring."
The Ma Shuangshuang the old lady was talking about was her aunt, who was also her cousin’s aunt and the wife of the village chief of their Majia Village.
Ma Shuangshuang's eyes lit up. "Chives are delicious. I've eaten leeks at the academy before. Scrambled eggs with chives are especially delicious."
"I heard that this was originally a vegetable that the princess found when she lived in Yunzhou."
"I also heard that the princess made chive boxes and sold them back then."
Of course, they heard these from others and they don’t know the details.
The old lady said, "Your aunt's mother's family has a relative from Yunzhou. They came here to do business and brought back some Yunzhou specialties, including salted duck eggs and preserved eggs. Your aunt also brought a few for us to try."
The old lady was all smiles when she talked about this.
The main reason is that life has improved, and the food we eat is not as expensive as before.
I feel like I look forward to eating every day now.
Although we can’t eat white flour for every meal every day, meals made with different vegetables and flavors are also particularly delicious.
The main thing is that I can now eat three meals a day, and I can eat my fill without having to worry about not having money.
Save all the money you earn.
There is no need to worry if you have money at home.
"Grandma, let me help you cook."
"Okay, let's go together."
The whole family is happy when they talk about eating dumplings.
Ma Shuangshuang helped pick and wash the leeks.
His younger brother clung to her, so she told him stories from books and taught him Arabic numerals.
Her younger brother followed suit and learned seriously, his eyes shining as he looked at his sister.
The whole family was busy cooking together, and Ma Shuangshuang felt that this feeling was very warm.
Not long after, Ma Shuangshuang's father Ma Cang came back.
"father!"
"Dad, you're back!"
Ma Shuangshuang and her brother shouted happily.
When Ma Cang saw his daughter coming back, his face was full of smiles, and he asked her about her well-being for a while.
Ma Shuangshuang said, "Dad, you seem to have become much younger."
Her father used to be quiet and only knew how to work.
But now she felt that her father seemed different, with a glow on his face.
So it looks very energetic.
Ma Cang said, "Maybe life is better now, Dad. I feel energetic and motivated."
This is indeed the truth.
He feels energetic every day.
Moreover, everyone knew that his daughter was studying in the princess's academy, and they all envied him and said that his daughter had a promising future.
He never thought that one day his daughter would make him proud.
Ma Cang's eyes were filled with hope.
Ma Shuangshuang giggled. She was actually the same. She used to help with housework every day, waiting to grow up.
At that time, I actually didn’t know what to do.
But she knew what to do now.
She thought about it and thought that her father must be much more confident now.
"Dad, what did you want to do when you were a kid?"
Ma Cang touched his head and thought for a moment, "At first I wanted to study, but the cost was too high, so I didn't dare to think about it. I just wanted to help my parents work more, grow more crops on the land, build a big house, get married, and have children."
It's just a very simple idea.
It's also very simple.
He didn’t dare to think too much before, but now that he can earn money, he thought that if his son likes to study, he would save money to let his son study too.
Studying nowadays is not like it was when he was a child. I heard that studying is very expensive, and pens, ink, paper and inkstone are even more expensive. There is also the tuition fee, and he has to give gifts to the teacher during festivals.
But now it’s different. If you can get into Wende Academy, you don’t have to spend that much.
Tuition fees are very cheap, not to mention that paper is cheap nowadays.
He felt that the time now was very different from when he was a child.
"You are living in a good time now. The emperor is a wise ruler, so you don't have to worry about wars. Lord Su is also an excellent official. You don't have to worry about offending nobles when you go out, and being killed by them. With Lord Su here, no one dares to do that."
"We ordinary people just need to work hard and do our jobs well, and don't worry about anything else."
"Every day I just want to eat well and have a good family."
"This year, for the New Year, we must prepare some New Year's goods and buy more meat."
In the past, during the Chinese New Year, they were reluctant to buy even a pound of meat.
It’s quite sad to think about it, but now everything is fine, so he decided to buy some delicious food for the New Year.
Ma Shuangshuang said, "But Dad, the New Year is still more than half a year away."
"We villagers are busy all year long just to have a good New Year and look forward to it."
"Don't think there's still more than half a year left. Time flies, and it will be the New Year in the blink of an eye."
He thought about it and realized that more than ten years had passed in the blink of an eye. Time really went by so fast.
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